Michelle Ayala

Communications 1050
Theory Notes Ch. 26
Face-Negotiation Theory
(Stella Ting-Toomey)

Face-Negotiation Theory is centered on face management, it describes how people from

different cultures achieve conflict negotiation in order to maintain face. Self-face and other-face
concerns describe the conflict negotiation between people of various cultures.
The first of the assumptions is that Self-identity is important in interpersonal interactions,
with people negotiating their identities in a different way from culture to culture. There are
many different parts to Self-identity, Cupach and Metts observed that in an initial interaction
people present an image of who they are in the interaction. The image they present is one they
want others to believe and accept. People are constantly concerned with self-face and other-face.
An individuals self-identity will not stay consistent but will actually change over time as people
gain time and experience.
The next assumption relates to conflict, in order to manage conflict you have to mediate
face and culture. What conflict does is damage the social face and bring relationships apart.
When the negotiation that is decided to be taken does not work for both individuals it only makes
the situation worse. This is why other factors are almost always involved in conflict.
The third assumption focuses on Face-Threatening Acts, face threatening acts take place
when people feel like their identities are being threatened. There are two things that are known as
face threatening acts. People make Face-saving acts in an effort to avoid humiliation or
helplessness. If the loss of face does happen people use a strategy called face restoration in this
strategy people use excuses and justifications to restore their face.

Michelle Ayala
Communications 1050
Theory Notes Ch. 26
Depending on the culture being individualistic or collectivistic will affect the face one
tries to maintain. In an individualistic culture they place emphasis on the individual over the
group. In a collectivistic culture they places emphasis on the group over all rather than the
culture. Therefore if a culture is individualistic that culture tends to be more self-face oriented. If
a culture is more collectivistic they tend to be more other or mutual face oriented.
This theory is seen as empirical, there has been many observation made in various
cultures that have made up the consensus of this study. This research has also been merged into
research on intercultural training and development through conflicts.
Face-Acts play a huge role in society. Throughout this semester I noticed many people
keep quiet or try to one up each other through the things that they said. Everyone has their own
identity and they want to make sure it goes untouched. When people in class made a mistake or
made a comment that maybe was not as accepted as others they quickly tried to find a way to fix
their mistake, myself included. We are constantly trying to maintain face and I believe this
theory makes it very apparent to notice when others are doing it and the manner they choose to
do it in.